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💾 Import & Export

Open WebUI provides tools to backup your chat history and restore it later, or migrate conversations from other platforms.

Accessing Import & Export​

  1. Click on your profile name or avatar in the bottom-left corner of the sidebar.
  2. Select Settings from the menu.
  3. Navigate to the Data Controls tab.
  4. Use the Import Chats or Export Chats buttons.

Exporting Chats​

Click the Export Chats button to download all your conversations as a JSON file. This backup includes:

  • All chat messages and their metadata
  • Model information used in each conversation
  • Timestamps and conversation structure
Regular Backups

It's a good practice to periodically export your chats, especially before major updates or migrations.

Importing Chats​

Click the Import Chats button and select a JSON file to restore conversations. Open WebUI supports importing from:

  • Open WebUI exports: Native JSON format from previous exports
  • ChatGPT exports: Conversations exported from OpenAI's ChatGPT
  • Other compatible formats: JSON files following the expected structure

Import Behavior​

  • Imported chats are added to your existing conversations (they don't replace them)
  • Duplicate detection may vary based on chat IDs
  • If using ChatGPT exports, the format is automatically converted

FAQ​

Q: Will importing chats overwrite my existing conversations?
A: No. Imported chats are added alongside your existing conversations.

Q: Can I import chats from Claude, Gemini, or other platforms?
A: Currently, native import support is available for Open WebUI and ChatGPT formats. Other platforms may require manual conversion to the expected JSON structure.

Q: Is there a size limit for imports?
A: There's no hard-coded limit, but very large files may take longer to process. The practical limit depends on your server configuration and available memory.